Roof Top Tent Details

Written Review

When we want to get away from the noise and chaos of city life, we like to go on extended camping trips. We love the peace and serenity of the outdoors – the fresh air, the simplicity of life, and the time spent away from technology. What we don’t love is having to sleep on the ground and being helpless in the face of bad weather.

The Sparrow Eye roof top tent from Roofnest is a great solution. Rooftop tents aren’t exactly new products, but they have become more popular in the last few years due to the fact that they’re comfortable, portable, and affordable. Roofnest has taken all of these benefits and have improved on them even more, resulting in a tent that truly stands out from others on the market.

The Sparrow Eye is a well-designed rooftop tent that comfortably fits two adults — those needing a slightly higher-capacity tent should definitely check out the larger Roofnest Eagle. The mounting hardware that comes with the Sparrow Eye has been made stronger than the previous releases from Roofnest and should be compatible with most roof racks and crossbars.

The Roofnest has a hard shell exterior made of fiberglass-reinforced ABS. It is both durable and lightweight, so you won’t need to worry about your Roofnest being damaged by random debris on the road. The height of the Sparrow Eye in its folded form is only 11 inches and it weighs only 120 pounds. The small footprint, combined with its aerodynamic design, means that you can drive with Sparrow Eye on top of your car anytime without having problems with fuel mileage or overhead clearance.

The unique feature of the Sparrow Eye is that it opens only on one side. This design means that the entrance to the tent is via the rear end of your car where the telescoping ladder is attached. The simpler opening mechanism means that the Sparrow Eye opens up even faster than the other Roofnest models. All you need to do is unstrap the buckles that secure the tent in its closed position, give it a slight push, and let the pneumatic struts do all the lifting.

The opening angle of the tent is wide enough to provide a sweeping view of the sky – a great advantage when you find yourself sleeping under starry skies.

One possible issue with the rear-facing entrance is that you cannot open the car’s trunk without removing the ladder. Having a bike rack attached to the rear of your car will also give you problems when it comes to properly positioning the ladder. It’s a pretty minor complaint but it can get frustrating, especially if you’re in a hurry when trying to set everything up.

The interior of the Sparrow Eye comes with nearly all of the bells and whistles that we’ve come to love about Roofnest’s other rooftop tents. The interior side of the hard-shell outer case is lined with a fabric lining that is comfortable, soft, provides insulation, and looks great. The walls of the tent are made with a polyester and cotton blend lined with polyurethane that provides both insulation and waterproofing. Windy nights can get very noisy in a tent, but the walls of the Roofnest are sufficiently heavy set to eliminate this problem.

One of the best things about the Roofnest rooftop tents is the built-in 3-inch high-density foam mattresses, and the Sparrow Eye is no different. Sleeping on a real mattress is a huge upgrade from sleeping on padded mats or inflatable beds. No longer do we have to wake up with aching backs when camping outdoors.

The interior of the Sparrow Eye is a bit snugger compared to the other Roofnest tents. You probably won’t have enough space inside it to do anything but lie down, but it does provide space for your beddings even when closed.

It still has optional windows on either side that can be opened up to provide a nice cross-breeze during hot nights, and the canvas lining of the entrance can still be extended to form an awning. However, the storage options inside the tent are limited to the flexible mesh hanging from the ceiling. There are no internal pockets or hooks, so storing lights and water bottles inside the tent can be a bit problematic.

Still, we can’t dispute how comfortable sleeping inside the Sparrow Eye is. We especially like the peace of mind of being elevated off the ground and away from critters and wild animals. It’s also great to have additional protection from heavy rains and hailstorms. These reasons alone make the Sparrow Eye a compelling option for outdoor adventurers.

What’s Included

Mounting hardware

Mattress

Telescoping ladder

Warranty

Roofnest provides a comprehensive warranty on all their rooftop tents for the first year after purchase. Within one year, they will cover all costs of repairing or replacing parts on your tent, given that defects came about due to normal use. Between the first and second years, requests for repair and parts replacement will be approved on a case per case basis. Take note that the warranty does not cover damage due to misuse, acts of negligence, or acts of God.

Beyond the two years, Roofnest will provide their usual excellent customer support to help you address any concern with the Sparrow Eye. Although they can no longer cover the costs, they will extend all the help they can give to help in repairing or looking for replacement parts for your tent.

Pros:

A durable and lightweight hard shell exterior with an aerodynamic design means you can keep it on your roof rack without worrying about fuel mileage, overhead clearance, or damage to the tent.

A simpler opening mechanism allows setup of the tent in seconds.

The comfortable and weatherproof interior keeps you safe from outside elements.

Cons:

The rear-facing entrance can be awkward if you have a bike mounted to the back of your car. You’ll also have to remove the ladder every time you need to pop the trunk.

The storage space inside the tent is limited; there are no hooks and inner pockets, unlike other Rooftnest tents.

Final Thoughts

Roofnest continues to impress with the new Sparrow Eye roof top tent, a more compact version of the Sparrow with an improved view of the sky. The Sparrow Eye comes with an efficient single-side opening mechanism, which makes setting up the tent even faster. The interior of the tent is a little snugger due to this design, but it’s not any less comfortable with its mesh windows and built-in mattress. The durability, portability, and overall safety of the Sparrow Eye makes this roof top tent worth every penny in our opinion.